Last summer, Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters announced that there is an urgent need for extra parking spaces for trucks, especially in Limburg. The fact that there will now be a truck parking with extra capacity at 35 km from its front door is a good thing according to the BTB-ABVV, but that there will be no sanitary facilities for the drivers is totally unacceptable according to the interest group BTB-ABVV. 

Yet this one turns out cry for help cannot be beat and the investment plans for the sanitary facilities were deployed through a separate tender. This is evident from a phone call to our editorial staff in response to our publication. Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters confirms the construction of a new truck parking area at the entrance and exit complex 32 of the E313 in Tongeren. Right next to the Tongeren-Oost industrial zone, at the current carpool parking, there will be a new car park that can accommodate 44 trucks. With this project, the Flemish Government provides an answer to the increasing demand for truck parking areas in the vicinity of industrial zones and motorways.

“The highway parking consultation in Limburg was not only made up of empty promises. We will immediately take action with the construction of a new truck parking area in Tongeren, ”said Minister Lydia Peeters.

The new car park is accessed in the same way as for the carpool car park, ie via the roundabout on the access road to the Tongeren-East industrial zone. The parking will be freely accessible and this on a separate fenced area. Sanitary facilities will also be installed. The works for the construction of the truck parking will start in the first half of 2021. The Flemish Government is investing 1,25 million euros in this project.

interest group BTB-ABVV

BTB-ABVV represents all employees from the maritime sectors, dock workers, workers in air handling, in goods and passenger transport and in logistics. In the past, BTB-ABVV has repeatedly criticized the lack of much-needed sanitary facilities in public car parks. In car parks such as those in Peutie, Everberg, Landen, Lille, Crisnée, Helecine - despite our request to the various ministers - there is still no toilet to be seen.

Tom Peeters, Deputy of the Federal Secretary BTB-ABVV Road Transport and Logistics: 

“Is Minister Peeters asleep? We published ours less than a month ago 9th Black book highway car parks in which we denounce the lack of (sanitation) facilities. And now no sanitary facilities for the professional driver have been provided for in the tender for a new truck parking facility! "

Peutie along the E19 is one of the most poignant examples. The problem was raised about ten years ago with the then Flemish Minister of Mobility Hilde Crevits. She promised to do something about it, but to no avail. A toilet should be a basic facility in every car park. It is unacceptable that this is not provided in Tongeren! That is why BTB-ABVV will ask the minister for an explanation as to why, despite her promises, we and the professional driver are again not listened to.

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